Car coupler



H. L. SPENCE July 14, 1953 CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1951 COUPLING L/NE INVENTOR.

HUBERT L. SPENCE A TTORNEY July 14, 1953 H. L. SPENCE 2,645,362

CAR COUPLER Filed Jan. 8,1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fig. 3 ,0

LOW HIGH lg- 6 CAR CAR INVENTOR. HUBERT L. PENC A TTORNE Y Patented July 14, 1953 CAR COUPLER Hubert L. Spence, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to'National Malleable and Steel Castings Com-' pany, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 8, 1951, Serial N 0. 204,871

This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly to car couplers of the interlocking type in which relative vertical movement between the heads of two coupled couplers is limited or prevented.

More specifically, the invention concerns means for controlling the vertical angling movement of couplers of the interlocking type relative to the car bodies.

Interlocking type couplers through the limitation or prevention of relative vertical movement between the heads of the coupled couplers provide an important safety feature because, in case of derailment, the couplersremain coupled and the cars are held in substantial alignment with one another and prevented from overturning. Two examples of couplers of the interlocking type are the A. A. R. Type H Tightlock Coupler, which the Association of American Railroads has adopted as its standard tightlock coupler, and the Proposed Type F Interlocking Coupler which is undergoing road service trials as a possible future standard coupler for freight service.

Because of the fact that in interlocking coupler relative vertical movement between the coupler heads is limited or prevented, it is necessary to mount the coupler on the car in such a way as to allow it to angle vertically relative to the car. The United States Safety Appliance Act allows a three-inch variation in the height of couplers above the rail which, in the case of interlocking couplers, means that each coupler head must be able to move 1 /2 inchesup or down from its normallevel position so that a high and a low car can couple freely. In addition to this, these couplers must have sufficient additional vertical freedom to follow all vertical track curvature which may be encountered. In the case of interlocking couplers for freight service, a still further increase in vertical movement is necessary to allow for the extreme conditions of verticaldisplacement as cars pass over classification yard humps.

A careful analysis of these conditions has shown that for unrestricted service on modern freight cars including operation over all hump track an interlocking coupler such as the Proposed Type F Coupler must be so mounted on the car that it can rise 2% inches above it normal level position and can be depressed 3 /2 inches below level, measured at the coupling line. This is just sufficient to allow free operation, over the worst classification hump track. On level track, however, this allows a possible difference of twice 2% inches or a total of 5%; inches in the height of adjacent car ends;

8 Claims. (Cl. 213-62) This, as will be explained later, could possibly produce a dangerous operating condition.

Because of standardized freight car design, the overall length of the coupler must be kept to a minimum. When an empty car is coupled to a loaded one on level track the allowable three inches difference in height means that one coupler is lifted 1 /2 inches and the other is depressed asimilar amount. In the case of relatively short freight car couplers, the line of draft and buffing forces between these cars then lies at an angle of about 3 degrees to the horizontal. Under severe buffing forces the vertical component of this angular force tends to lift the light car and to depress the heavy one, thus causing a further difference in the height of the two cars. The fact that interlocking couplers must be given a degree of vertical freedom greater than that which is necessary merely to take care of level track conditions means that under extreme buffing force the light car could rise and the heavy car depress until their difference in height amounted to the 5 inches mentioned above. At that point further vertical movement of the couplers would be prevented by contact of the coupler shanks with the striking castings through which the couplers project. If these bufling forces are severe enough and exist for a sufficiently long period of time, it is conceivable that the light car might be lifted off its trucks, at least at the end receiving the buffing force.

Accordingly it is an object of my invention to provide means for controlling the vertical angling movement of an interlocking coupler relative to its car body so as to eliminate the possibility of the occurrence of the aforementioned condition.

A full understanding of my invention may be had from the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1. is a plan view partly in section of a Proposed Type F Coupler embodying my invention applied to a typical freight car.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the application shown in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 2 but showing the coupler under a heavy buffing force, its upward movement being controlled by the use of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the position of the interlocking couplers when two cars, with a 3 inch difference in height, are coupled together.

Fig. 5 is a similar view but showing the possible result of a hard bufiing force when interlocking 7 pin 20 and-the equalizer block 22 to provide for lateral and vertical angling of the coupler relative to the yoke and car. The end surface 24 of the shank is spherically curved about a point on theaxis of pin 20 and the engaging surface 26 on follower 28 is correspondingly curved. Also,

surface 39 on equalizer 22 is spherically .curved about the same center as surfaces 24 and 26, while engaging surface 32 is correspondingly curved.

The forward side 34 of pin-receiving opening 36 in the shank is flared to allow for vertical angling of the shank. The yoke surrounds the usual raftgear (not shcwnyand draft and buffing forces aretransmitted'to and cushioned by the draft gear in the usual manner. 1

Securedto the end of the car is a combined coupler-carrier and striking castin 3B which includes a spring-supported carry iron 49 on which the couplershank rests and which normally holds the ccupler'in a level position. The clearance a between the top side of the. coupler shank and the underside 42 of the transverse member 43 above opening g iis sufficient to allow the coupler torise 2 inches above its level position, and the clearance b between carry iron 40 and the carrier-spring housing 46 is suihcient to allow the coupler head to depress 3- inches below. level.

This vertical movement is necessary in order to allow the-car to negotiate the vertical track curv-- ature existing in classification yard humps when this coupler is coupled to a like one or to a noninterlocking coupler.

As aforementioned, a coupler head movement of 1 /2 inches above and below the level position is all :thatis necessary to accommodate variations in ear height on level track. These vertical angling conditions are indicated by dot-dash lines on Fig. 2.

' In Fig. 4. is shown the position assumed by "two interlockin couplers on level track with the 3 inch maximum difference in car height. The two couplers-act as a solid column pivoted at its ends to the cars, the column sloping upwardly frorn'the lower car to the higher car at an angle of-aoout 3 degrees. Under a heavy buffing load or shock transmitted from one car through the couplers to the other car the 3 degree angularity of the coupler column produces an upward component of force against the high car and a correspondingly downward component against the low car. This vertical component is but a small proportion of the buffing force (between 5-and 6 per cent) and is to a considerable extent resisted by the compression in the coupler carrier springs in the higher car. Under emergency operating conditions or accidental rough handling of the equipment these buffing forces may be very sever-e and could conceivably be sufficient to lift the body of a lightweight empty car clear off the adjacent truck, as shown in Fig. 5. In this view the coupler of the low car has been shown in the position in which it has reached the limit of its upward movement of 2% inches, while the coupler on the high car has been shown depressed a corresponding amount, thus making the total difference in car heights of 5 inches as aforementioned, This displacement is-su'fiicient to lift the light car body clear of the adjacent truck as indicated at c in Fig. 5.

My invention provides a. very simple and inexpensive means for so controlling or limiting the vertical angling movement of the coupler at the moment of heavy buffing pressure that it is held down to a position which prevents the light car from being lifted from its trucks.

humps, they do not interfere with the free vertical movement of the coupler. Under severe buffing shocks or forces, however,

the draft gear compresses, allowin the head of the coupler to move toward the striking casting 38 and carrying the ribs 50 under the forward transverse member 43 of the striking casting, as illustrated in Fig. 3, thus limiting the amount which the coupler head can lift, and thereby limiting the distance which the light car can be lifted from its normal position. This action is also illustrated in Fi 6 in which the coupler on the left is provided with-ribs 53 and is shown angled upwardly until the ribs have engaged transverse member 43, thereby precluding further upward movement of both couplers.

The height of the ribs 50 is preferably such as will allow the coupler head to rise only about 1% inches above level'position in which case the vertical misalignment of the cars under'severe bufiing shock is limited to the 3 inches which is necessary for normal operation of light and heavy cars coupled together. Ribs 50 are sloped downwardly as at 54 so that in the event the coupler is angled vertically from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position in which the horizontal top surface of the ribs is disposed above the underside 42 of member 43 and thefcoupler is caused to move rearwardly under 1 details of car construction, truck spring sus-- pensions, etc. I

It will thus be seen that my invention, While effectively limiting the amount which a coupler may angle upwardly when subjected to a heavy buffing blow, allows sufiicient vertical angling of the coupler during the times the coupler is not under the influence of heavy buffing forces to allow the car to negotiate abnormal vertical track curvatures such as exist in classification yard humps.

The same result would be attained by limiting the downward movement of the coupler when under bufling load, in which case the coupler on the high car would be the one which controls the vertical misalignment.

The invention is illustrated in the form of two ribs on the coupler shank, but obviously other shapes can be used which will form an obstruction which is inoperative during normal operation of the coupler but which, under severe bufiing forces, moves to a position which limits the vertical movement of the coupler head (either up or down, or in both directions) to a range substantially less than its range when not under severe bufling forces.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possiblewithin the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway car a striking casting having a coupler receiving opening, a coupler having a shank extending through said opening and being operatively connected to an associated yoke to allow vertical angling movement of the coupler, a carrier resiliently mounted in said striking casting for supporting said coupler in level position, said strikingcasting comprising a transverse member extending across the upper end of said opening and being spaced from the top surface of said shank a predetermined amount when the coupler is level, and abutment means on said shank extending above the top surface thereof and disposed forwardly of said striking casting when said coupler is in unbuffed position, said abutment means being so arranged that upon movement of said coupler rearwardly in bufi said means is positioned beneath said member and is adapted to engage therewith to limit upward angling movement of said coupler.

2. In a railway car a coupler having a shank operatively connected thereto for angling movement in a vertical direction, a striking casting having a coupler shank receiving opening and a carrier for resiliently supporting said coupler, said shank extending into said opening, said opening being of such vertical dimension that when said coupler is in horizontal position the top surface of said shank is spaced a predetermined distance below the upper end of said opening, and abutment means on said shank extending above the top surface thereof and being disposed forwardly of said opening when said coupler is in unbufied position, said means upon rearward movement of said coupler in buff being movable to a position within said opening, said means when in said latter position being adapted to engage said casting to limit upward angling movement of said coupler.

3. In a railway car a coupler operatively connected thereto for angling movement in a vertical direction, means for supporting said coupler in horizontal position, stop means on said car disposed above said coupler and adapted for engagement with a portion of said coupler to limit upward angling movement of said coupler, and abutment means on said coupler disposed forwardly of said stop means when said coupler is in unbuffed position, said abutment means 6 upon rearward movement of said coupler in buff being movable to a position beneath said stop means, said abutment means when in said last-- named position being adapted to engage said stop means to limit upward angling movement of said coupler.

4. In a railway car a coupler operatively connected thereto for angling movement in a vertical direction, means for sup-porting said coupler in horizontal position, stop means on said car engageable by said coupler to limit vertical angling movement of said coupler in one direction, and abutment means on said coupler disposed forwardly of said stop means when said coupler is in unbufied position, said abutment means upon rearward movement of said coupler in buff being movable to a position in vertically opposed relationship to said stop means, said abutment means when in said last-named position being adapted to engage said stop means to limit vertical angling movement of said coupler in one direction.

5. In a car coupler having a shank portion adapted for connection to a car structure to enable vertical angling movement of the coupler, abutment means on said shank portion extending above the top surface thereof, said means being so disposed on said shank portion as to be positioned forwardly of an associated car structure when the coupler is in unbuffed position,

said means upon rearward movement of the coupler in buff being adapted to be disposed beneath a portion of an associated oar structure and being adapted to engage therewith tolimit upward angling movement of said coupler.

6. A car coupler comprising a horn, a shank portion and abutment means on said shank portion, positioned rearwardly of said horn, said means being adapted for engagement with an associated car structure to limit upward angling movement of the coupler only when the latter is in a rearward position in response to a force in bufi, said means comprising a longitudinally extending rib on the top side of said shank portion, the rearward portion of said rib bein sloped rearwardly to the top surface of said shank portion.

7. A car coupler mounted on a car for vertical movement of a predetermined amount relative thereto when said coupler is in unbufied position, and abutment means movable with said coupler and engageable with said car for restricting said vertical movement to a lesser amount when said coupled is in a buffed position.

8. A car coupled mounted on a car for vertical movement of a predetermined amount relative thereto when said coupler is in unbuffed position, and abutment means movable with said coupler during bufilng movement of said coupler to a position between said coupler and said car to limit said vertical movement to a lesser amount.

HUBERT L. SPENCE.

Name Date "Iomlinson Apr. 13, 1926 Number 

